


Baby Steps

by Heylittleyahtzee



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/F, First Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-04
Updated: 2014-09-04
Packaged: 2018-02-16 03:44:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2254629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heylittleyahtzee/pseuds/Heylittleyahtzee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Healing. Skye is finally well enough to try getting out of bed. As her doctor, Jemma oversees the process. First Kiss fic!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby Steps

Skye has never been so bored in her life. She stares up at the ceiling absentmindedly, fingers busy folding and unfolding the thin scratchy blanket tucked around her ribs. It wasn’t so bad in the beginning. When she’d first woken up Jemma had her on so many pain medications she could hardly open her eyes. She’d slept most of the time. When she did wake up she felt ridiculously gross and awful. Now the only thing bothering her was a slight soreness where her stitches were and the mind numbing boredom of being trapped in bed. She’s not entirely convinced it counts as improvement.

The door whooshes open and Skye sighs in relief. She knows Jemma is busy, she does, but just having her in the room makes Skye feel about ten times better. Ever since Skye woke up they’d grown closer. At first Jemma hovered constantly because Skye needed near constant observation, but as Skye healed she’d started staying just to talk or keep Skye company. Sometimes Jemma worked while Skye read one of the many books Jemma had stowed away on the bus. The more time they spent together the more Skye’s heart ached when Jemma left, and the faster it beat when she returned.

Skye tries not to think about it much.

“Hey doc,” she says playfully, “How do I look? Have I grown that third eye yet?” When Jemma doesn’t respond Skye rolls her head to look at her. Jemma is standing next to Skye’s monitor checking her vitals, a slight frown on her face.

“Jemma?” Skye reaches out and grips her arm. “Hey, is everything okay?” Jemma jumps a little and looks up at Skye in surprise.

“Skye, oh dear I’m sorry,” she exclaims sheepishly, “I thought you were asleep. I was so engrossed in my work I… Yes everything’s perfectly all right. You’re actually making remarkable progress.” Skye narrows her eyes. Something is off. Jemma is tense all over and radiating frustration like a nuclear bomb.

“Why the long face?” Jemma sighs and bites her lip.

“I don’t want to give you any false hope,” she explains, “I’m not sure this is right. After what… the surgeries you needed you should stay in bed for two more weeks. Only my tests show that, well,” Jemma makes a confused face at her papers, “You could be well enough to be taken off a few of these machines and up and about for a walk once or twice a day.” Skye’s eyes go wide.

“Seriously?” she hisses excitedly. Jemma smiles fondly at her and squeezes the hand still on her arm. 

“Only if you absolutely promise to be careful. No shenanigans this time!” Jemma gives her a pointed look. Skye grins widely. Finally.

If she ignores the heat blossoming in her chest from the feeling of Jemma’s hand on her own, well, that’s her problem.

Jemma doesn’t know what she’s gotten herself into. Even telling Skye that she can maybe stand for perhaps a minute or two has got her all riled up. She’s practically bouncing while Jemma works, her feet and hands flexing in anticipation as wires and tubes are stripped from her body and deposited neatly to the side. By the time Skye is sitting up with her feet over the side of the bed she’s nearly exhausted herself. Jemma shakes her head and sighs. She loves Skye with all her heart, but honestly!

It takes her a moment to realize the thought she’s just had and when she does she almost drops the medical tape she’s holding. Skye is staring at her expectantly, her bare legs dangling over the floor. Her skin is still too pasty, and she looks thinner than she should. Jemma has the sudden urge to reach out and hold her, keep her warm and safe forever and never let Skye out of her sight again. It’s an urge Jemma is familiar with, that’s not the issue. The issue is it’s accompanied by another urge, the urge to kiss Skye’s lips and stroke her skin until the color returns, to touch her in ways that are certainly not professional and not exactly within in the realms of friendship either.

Oh no. Oh no no no.

Skye raises an eyebrow at her and Jemma stutters out an excuse about some chore she forgot to do before placing the medical tape firmly on the table. She absolutely cannot have feelings for Skye. For one, Skye is her patient! Not to mention one of the best friends she’s had next to Fitz. Jemma knows from experience that most of her crushes end up being straight, and considering the friendliness between Skye and Ward she’s pretty certain she doesn’t have a chance anyway. She can’t take the chance and risk losing Skye in the process.

Skye is positive Jemma’s just worried about her injuring her self and attempts to push herself up onto her feet. Being upright is the weirdest thing in the world. The floor is cold and hard, but at least it’s different. 

Jemma involuntarily steps closer, her arms coming up to catch Skye just in case. After all, the muscles the bullets went through are used primarily for acute balance and posture. Skye let’s Jemma help her up, hands on Jemma’s elbows to steady herself. 

“Carefully now. The muscles shouldn’t be healed at all,” Jemma warns.

“Relax, Jem, I feel fine,” Skye says softly. The dull ache in her side has increased, but she doesn’t tell Jemma that. If she tells Jemma she might get sent back to bed, and if she gets sent back to bed Jemma will stop holding her up and that would be a national tragedy. Jemma smiles tightly and takes a step backward.

“All right then, walk with me,” she murmurs. Skye’s hands are dry and still a little cold on her skin, but it doesn’t really matter. Jemma’s heart is beating so fast she’s worried she’ll have to admit herself to the medical ward. Skye frowns and takes the first step, slow and a little off kilter after not walking for so many days. It’s scarier than she thought it would be. Somehow Skye’s brain has convinced itself that if Skye stands up straight or moves to quickly, all her guts will come falling out again. The soft pressure of Jemma’s hands on her arms keeps the fear at bay.

“Look at me go,” Skye squeals in delight as she takes three more steps. Jemma’s heart fills with warmth. Skye was succeeding! All of a sudden hot tears are filling her eyes and slipping down her cheeks. Skye stops walking and looks at her in horror.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” she asks worriedly, “Look at me, I’m okay!” Jemma nods furiously but doesn’t dare let go of Skye to wipe her eyes. 

“I didn’t know what I would do without you,” she admits. Skye’s eyes go wide and she takes another step forward. This time Jemma doesn’t step back. They’re closer than ever, Skye’s hands sliding up Jemma’s arms to her shoulders for balance.

“Jem, I’m alive. You saved me,” Skye reminds her gently. Jemma laughs and sniffs. 

“I know, I just… I was so scared I’d never see this again and it’s brilliant! You’re walking!” Jemma explains. Skye grins at her. For a moment neither of them says anything. Skye plays with the collar on Jemma’s shirt absentmindedly, just looking at her. Her heart is beating so wildly she’s glad she isn’t still hooked up to the monitor. Jemma blushes and looks away. Skye bites her lip. 

“Hey Jem? Can you help me do something? I’m not sure I’ve got it on my own,” she says. 

“Of course!” Jemma says, forcing a smile onto her face. All of a sudden she’s rather light headed. Skye is so close Jemma can smell the shampoo she used the day before to wash Skye’s hair. The memory makes her fidget even more.

“Okay, so I think you probably need to put your hands on my sides so I don’t have a party with the ground,” Skye says. Jemma nods numbly and repositions her hands. They hold Skye stiffly, not squeezing too tight. Skye’s heart skips a beat and she takes a deep breath.

“Whatever you do, don’t move,” she practically whispers. With great care she slides her hands to Jemma’s cheeks, her thumbs ghosting over the blush spreading across Jemma’s pale skin. Jemma’s breath hitches in her throat and her hands tighten just a bit around Skye. Skye doesn’t waste anymore time, leaning forward to press her lips to Jemma’s in a soft kiss. Skye doesn’t think she’s ever done anything that felt as good as kissing Jemma. Jemma kisses back, her mouth hesitant against Skye’s. She can’t believe what’s happening. Kissing Skye? Impossible! When Skye pulls away Jemma blinks slowly, her brain finally catching up with the situation.

“Oh,” she says, “That does simplify things, doesn’t it?” Skye snorts and leans her forehead against Jemma’s.

“I guess it does,” she agrees. Jemma beams at her and leans forward to kiss Skye again. 

Skye ends up making a very speedy recovery.


End file.
